Book Review Environmental ChangeMaking

Five years ago, Rev. Peter Rood and Joanne Poyourow had a vision to gather people for the purpose of building community and learning sustainability concepts. This book details the experiences of their group, Environmental ChangeMakers, located in Westchester, a eighborhood in West LA.

The group began with monthly educational programs. The ChangeMakers then held Earthcare Fairs; turned a large lawn into an organic vegetable garden for food banks; learned organic gardening and composting concepts; held Seed Swaps; installed water catchments systems; initiated a harvesting program to collect produce from homeowner's trees for food banks; held bread baking sessions and solar oven making workshops. They brought in speakers such as Ed Begley, Jr. and Andy Lipkis of Tree People; hosted seminars on Rob Hopkins' Transition Towns initiatives and Joanna Macy's eco-psychology concepts, and on it goes. As they learned and worked together, ECM participants began making substantial changes in their own homes and personal lives. They reflected Rev. Rood's quote from the book…'Our circle of ChangeMakers has set out to re-form. We're re-forming our habits, our paradigms, our selves.

As ECM grew, Peter and Joanne were solicited as speakers to share their experiences. People would ask, 'How do WE do what you're doing?' It was time to write a book.

To explain ECM's process, ChangeMaking is divided into 4 parts: What We Do, How We Do It, Where We're Headed, and It's Your Turn. Some examples of sub-headings are: Start Where You Are; Focusing on the Positive; Surrounding ‘Em With Solutions; Rethinking Normal; It Takes a Village; Reskilling Our Neighborhoods; Using Sustainability as A Yardstick; Meeting Formats; The Art of Publicity.

The book appendix has references (indexed by topic) containing articles and websites for further information. Additionally, numerous educational handouts are free to copy and share in a non-profit manner.

Ms. Poyourow and Rev. Rood have spared no useful detail. The information is accessible and well organized. Sprinkled among its pages are comments from group members, photos of group activities, and inspirational quotes from leading environmental advocates. This book has an expressive quality and will stir your heart if you care about the Earth.